Tray stand with receptacle



Sept. 15, 1964 A. L. HABLER TRAY STAND WITH RECEPTACLE Filed May 20, 1963 INVENTOR. ADAM L. HABLER AT TORAE Y United States Patent 3,148,924 TRAY STAND WITH RECEPTACLE Adam L. Habler, 311 Ave. 1), Redondo Beach, Calif. Filed May 20, 1963, Ser. No. 281,531 8 Claims. (Cl. 312-256) This invention relates to a tray stand with a receptacle and more particularly to a tray stand having a detachable receptacle mounted on the legs thereof.

Tray stands having crossed leg type construction are used quite extensively in restaurants and cafeterias to support serving trays both when bringing in the food and when removing soiled dinnerware and silverware. With the tray stands of the prior art, the silverware, glasses, cups, and other such articles are generally mixed with the dishes both in serving and in their removal after utilization. This has several disadvantages. First, it is rather difiicult and cumbersome to pile up the dishes on the tray along with the silverware; secondly when the silverware, cups and glasses and the dinnerware are stacked together, it is necessary to separate these articles when they arrive in the kitchen making for a good deal of extra work.

These shortcomings of prior art serving trays are overcome in the device of the invention by providing receptacle means for receiving the silverware and other small articles, this receptacle being detachably mounted on the upper portion of the crossed legs of the tray stand. The receptacle has lip means thereon which provides a wedgelike engagement with the legs of the tray stand. This lip means engages the legs of the tray on only one side thereof and the receptacle even when filled with a heavy load of silverware can readily be removed from the tray stand. In one embodiment of the device of the invention, the receptacle is more firmly held to the tray stand, by means of a groove which runs along the bottom of the receptacle which mates with a cross bar running between the legs of the tray stand. In another embodiment of the invention, attachment between the receptacle and tray stand is achieved solely by virtue of the wedging action between the lip means and the legs of the stand.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved tray stand.

It is another object of this invention to provide a tray stand having a detachable receptacle mounted thereon.

It is still another object of this invention to facilitate the removal of soiled dishes and silverware in public eating places.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a tray receptacle for utilization with a tray stand of simple construction which is held securely to such a stand yet can readily be removed therefrom.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings of which,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device of the invention and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the device of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of the device of the invention is illustrated. The tray stand has two pairs of crossed legs 11-14. Trays are normally held on cross straps 17 which run across the top of the stand. Running between the pivot points (not shown) of legs 11-14 is cross bar 18.

The receptacle 21 has a lip portion 22 with a relatively wide finger 26 at one corner thereof and a relatively nar row finger 28 at the other corner thereof. Associated with narrow finger 28 is a relatively wide notched portion 24 while associated with wide finger 26 is a relatively narrow notched portion 23. Running along the bottom of the receptacle is a semi-circular groove which fits onto cross bar 18. On the side of the receptacle opposite that on which lip means 22 is located is a rectangular aperture 29 suitable for accommodating ones fingers in lifting the receptacle out of the stand. The opposite side walls 30 of the receptacle are slanted inwardly to facilitate the loading of silverware.

As can be seen, the receptacle 21 is secured to the tray stand both by virtue of the mating engagement between groove 20 and crossbar 18 and the wedging action of fingers 26 and 28 and notched portions 23 and 24 against legs 11 and 12 of the stand.

The receptacle may readily be removed from the stand by holding lip portion 22 with one hand and by lifting up on the hand grasp formed by aperture 29 with the other hand and then turning the receptacle slightly clockwise. In view of the space provided by wide notched portion 24, the receptacle can be turned to bring finger 28 around leg 12 to free the receptacle. The use of this wider notched portion 24 on one side of the lip portion in conjunction with a narrower notched portion 23 on the other side thereof enables ready removal of the receptacle yet affords secure attachment when the receptacle is in its mounted position. End 32 being free, it is relatively easy to remove the receptacle from the tray stand even with heavy loads of silverware therein.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a second embodiment of the device of the invention is illustrated. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1, except for the fact that there is no groove running along the bottom of receptacle 21. This embodiment can be utilized with tray stands having no cross bar. Holding action is achieved solely by virtue of the wedge-like engagement of fingers 26 and 28 and notched portions 23 and 24 with the legs 11 and 12 of the stand. This type of attachment will normally be adequate for holding receptacle 21 in place with or without a load of silverware in the receptacle. The additional holding capability of the groove and cross-bar of the embodiment of FIG. 1, of course is desirable es pecially when there is a light load in the receptacle, to prevent shaking receptacle loose from the tray stand in the event that it is accidentally jarred.

Receptacle 21 may be fabricated of any suitable material such as, for example, plastic or metal, and may be molded or otherwise formed as an integral unit if desired.

The device of this invention thus provides a simple yet highly effective means for enhancing the utility of a serving tray stand. The unique features of the receptacle added to the tray stand are such as to provide secure mounting of the receptacle on the stand yet with a capability of ready detachment therefrom even with heavy loads of silverware.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that this is intended by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a serving tray stand and a receptacle, said serving tray stand having two pairs of crossed legs and tray support means inter-connecting the top portions thereof, said receptacle comprising a bottom portion,

a pair of opposite side walls, said side walls being sloped inwardly towards said bottom portion, and

a pair of oppositely positioned end walls,

one of said end walls having a lip portion extending from one top edge thereof, said lip portion extending outwardly from said one end wall and running substantially parallel to said bottom portion, the opposite ends of said lip portion having notches formed therein, one of said notches being substantially wider than the other of said notches,

the other of said end walls having an aperture formed therein suitable for providing a hand grasp.

2. The device as recited in claim 1 wherein said receptacle has a groove running longitudinally along the bottom portion thereof and said stand has a cross bar running between the legs thereof, said groove fitting over said cross bar.

3. In combination, a serving tray stand and a receptacle, said serving tray stand having two pairs of crossed legs and tray support means inter-connecting the top portions thereof, said receptacle comprising a bottom portion,

a pair of opposite side walls, said side walls being sloped inwardly towards said bottom portion,

a pair of oppositely positioned end walls,

one of said end walls having a lip portion extending outwardly from the top edge thereof and running sub stantially parallel to said bottom portion, the opposite ends of said lip portion having fingers formed therein, one of said fingers being substantially wider than the other of said fingers,

said fingers abutting against a pair of said legs in holding engagement therewith.

4. In combination, a serving tray stand and a receptacle, said serving tray stand having two pairs of crossed legs and means for supporting a tray inter-connecting the top portions thereof said receptacle comprising a pair of oppositely positioned side walls, the length of said side walls being less than the distance between said pairs of legs,

a pair of oppositely positioned end walls, and

a bottom portion joining said side and end walls together,

one of said end walls having a lip portion extending outwardly from the top edge thereof and running substantially parallel to said bottom portion, the opposite ends of said lip portion each having a notch formed therein, one of said notches being substantially wider than the other of said notches,

the other of said end walls having an aperture formed therein suitable for providing a hand grasp,

said bottom portion having a longitudinal groove running between said end walls, said stand having a cross bar running between the pairs of legs thereof,

said receptacle being mounted on said stand with the notched portions of the lip portion thereof abutting 7 against a pair of said legs and said groove in said lnottom portion fitting over said cross bar.

5. The device as recited in claim 4 wherein said side walls are sloped inwardly towards said bottom portion.

6. In combination, a serving tray stand and a receptacle, said serving tray stand having two pairs of crossed legs and means for supporting a tray inter-connecting the top portions thereof, said receptacle comprising a pair of oppositely positioned side walls,

a pair of oppositely positioned end walls and a bottom portion joining said side and end walls together,

said receptacle having means formed therein adjacent one of said end walls for holding said receptacle to one of said pairs of legs in Wedge-like engagement therewith,

the other of said end walls having a hand grasp formed therein,

said bottom portion having a longitudinal groove running between said end walls, said stand having a cross bar running between the pairs of legs thereof,

said receptacle being mounted on said stand with the lip portion thereof abutting against a pair of said legs and said groove in said bottom portion fitting over said cross bar.

7. The device as recited in claim 6 wherein said hand grasp comprises a substantially rectangular aperture formed in said one of said end walls.

8. The device as recited in claim 6 wherein said side walls are sloped inwardly towards said bottom portion.

References fited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 333,500 Bon Ian. 5, 1886 407,824 Henry July 30, 1889 1,488,425 Wilson Mar. 25, 1924 2,434,800 Hollander Jan. 20, 1948 2,802,578 Barile Aug. 13, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,694 Germany July 29, 1882 6,933 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1904 

1. IN COMBINATION, A SERVING TRAY STAND AND A RECEPTACLE, SAID SERVING TRAY STAND HAVING TWO PAIRS OF CROSSED LEGS AND TRAY SUPPORT MEANS INTER-CONNECTING THE TOP PORTIONS THEREOF, SAID RECEPTACLE COMPRISING A BOTTOM PORTION, A PAIR OF OPPOSITE SIDE WALLS, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING SLOPED INWARDLY TOWARDS SAID BOTTOM PORTION, AND A PAIR OF OPPOSITELY POSITIONED END WALLS, ONE OF SAID END WALLS HAVING A LIP PORTION EXTENDING FROM ONE TOP EDGE THEREOF, SAID LIP PORTION EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID ONE END WALL AND RUNNING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID BOTTOM PORTION, THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID LIP PORTION HAVING NOTCHES FORMED THEREIN, ONE OF SAID NOTCHES BEING SUBSTANTIALLY WIDER THAN THE OTHER OF SAID NOTCHES, THE OTHER OF SAID END WALLS HAVING AN APERTURE FORMED THEREIN SUITABLE FOR PROVIDING A HAND GRASP. 